The Verisimilitude
by blackberries
Summary: In an attempt to renew his powers, Uchiha Madara lost everything. When Sakura learned of his secret, she tried to get the bare truth. However, even a man who has lost everything won't be willing to share every detail. Major spoilers up to chapter 448.
1. Destruction

Uchiha Sasuke stood in the middle of the room and in front of what he considered teammates. In front of him sat Uchiha Madara, with his mask still intact and hands folded on his lap. The dim room was lit by a candle that sat on the table next to Madara's and one above the group called Team Hawk; the candles occasionally flickered by the outside wind and they would illuminate the dark areas of the room.

Directly behind Sasuke was Juugo, who stood with his arms crossed and eyes concentrated on the two Uchihas in front of him. His tall form towered over the two people next to him and his Akatsuki cloak did not manage to cover the whole length of his arms. Juugo slightly shifted when one of his teammates loudly sighed and quietly groaned.

On his right was Karin, the lone female in the room. She leaned against the wall and sighed for the fourth time, and yes, Juugo happened to be counting. Unlike her teammates, Karin's Akatsuki cloak fit her perfectly. Her glasses slowly drooped down her nose and she irritatingly pushed it back in place. She was tempted to pace around the room but knowing that Sasuke would get mad, she didn't. Instead, she settled for glaring at her teammate all the way to the left, staring at Sasuke, and letting out huffs of dissatisfaction.

The unfortunate recipient of Karin's glare was Suigetsu, who had Zabuza's sword on his back and tried standing still. Like Karin, he was bored. He yawned and was close to falling asleep at his spot. Feeling an itchy sensation on his scalp, Suigetsu scratched it in a not-so-subtle manner. Turning to his right, he saw Karin give him a disgusted look and then turn back to Sasuke. Not really giving a crap, he gave her the finger behind her back and ignored the stares Juugo gave.

Uchiha Madara finally stood up and faced Sasuke. He stole a glance at each person in front of him and carefully shook his head. His abandoned cloak was draped over his chair; he ignored the cold weather and showed no indications of discomfort.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he murmured out. "The invasion has already begun." The younger Uchiha tensed but did not deepen his scowl. "Isn't that what you wanted? After everything about your brother was a lie and that I had told you the truth? Why do I get the impression that you're unhappy?"

Sasuke didn't move for a moment. "Because it's my revenge," he slowly bit out. "The invasion may have started, but I will be the one who will finish Konoha and its elders." He turned to leave, as did his teammates, but Madara's voice stopped him.

"Foolish," he said. "It's also my revenge. Even if you can wipe out the entire village, there is still the matter of the Kyuubi. There is no doubt he would stop you. Was he not your friend?"

Immediately, Sasuke's look became bitter. "I have no friends there. I never have and never will."

Grinning behind his mask, Madara said, "Very well- you have permission to go to Konoha. I doubt you'll enjoy the sight of it, though." Sasuke only threw him one last apathetic look and then walked out of the room, with Team Hawk trailing behind. He sat back down after Juugo closed the door and left Madara to himself. He slowly put on his cloak again and buttoned it. To him, everything was going exactly as he had planned. Konoha would be easily crushed and the only thing that would, and probably could, stop him was the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Leaning on his elbows, he let out a deep sigh. The Uchiha clan was really no more. He managed to easily manipulate everyone around him and it worked miraculously. They all work for him now. No more of the Uchiha clan. No more of the Senju clan. And for sure, at this he smiled broadly, no more Konohagakure.

* * *

Each minute, a new patient would be wheeled in. And each time, their wounds would be increasingly more severe. Haruno Sakura wiped the sweat off her brows and let out the breath she was holding. She knew that she was going to be there all day but it was her role as a medic-nin.

Shizune carried in an elderly man and laid him on the nearest bed. She also seemed incredibly stressed and her hair was equally disheveled. Watching Sakura heal each patient was making her worried because it was obvious that her chakra was being exhausted. Earlier, she had talked to the Hokage about backup from Suna; unfortunately, the attack started much sooner and quicker than she had predicted. Shizune realized that she was giving the younger medic-nin a worried look because Sakura stopped healing for a second and asked her what was wrong.

"It's nothing. I'm worried that you'll pass out from a lack of chakra, Sakura," Shizune said, while starting to heal her own patient.

The rosette kunoichi offered a smile. "If this is what I have to do to help, then I will."

Shizune could only smile back. The two of them began frantically healing the major wounds and leaving the smaller ones to the assistants. An explosion would occasionally shake the foundation of the building but nothing stopped them from working.

As the number of people being brought in lessened, Shizune stood up. "It seems like everything is being stabilized. Everyone is on the battlefield right now and I need to report back to shishou. Think you'll be okay here with the assistants?"

Nodding, Sakura replied, "I'll be fine. Do whatever you have to." With this, the only other experienced medic-nin left the building. "Naruto," she whispered. "Please hurry." Once again, she continued to bringing chakra to her hands and healing.

Only ten minutes later, though, she felt impending danger. Eyes widening, Sakura ordered, "Everyone brace yourselves!" Within seconds, a strong force brought down the building. The roof started to collapse but she brought some chakra on her and as many patients as she can to stop it. Screams were heard throughout the building and she crouched, hoping that what she was doing was enough.

"Shit," she murmured. The roof eventually collapsed, but luckily, many of the patients were not in the way of it. Pushing some of them into the corner, she instructed the junior medic-nins to make sure everyone was okay. Finally looking up at the roofless building they were all in, Sakura's eyes started to water. The whole situation seemed hopeless- her chakra was nearly depleted, even more people were now injured, and … Naruto never showed up.

Scared but willing to admit defeat, she clasped her hands and shouted, "Naruto! Naruto, where are you?" She fell to the ground and just let the tears come.

* * *

As Uchiha Sasuke stood a few miles away from Konoha, an intense explosion caused him and his teammates to momentarily stop. Rubble and debris flew at them but he easily dodged them.

"Ow!" Suigetsu screamed from behind him. He was rubbing his forehead. "A fucking boulder just hit me!"

Karin screamed back, "You idiot! That rock was smaller than my fist!"

"Fist? I'll shove my fucking fist up your-"

"Be quiet," interjected Juugo. He was looking at Sasuke, who was looking intently at the damage in front of them. The entire village fell and a large crater in the middle signified where the explosion occurred.

An orange haired man in an Akatsuki cloak was above the ruins. Karin pointed to him and asked, "Who's he?"

"That's Pein," came Madara's voice. The members of Team Hawk turned around and there he was. "I suppose you can call him the de facto leader of Akatsuki. Well, not exactly him as he's just a puppet."

Sasuke looked back at the orange haired man. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You will find out soon. Let's get closer first," he replied.

As a group, they moved closer to Konoha. The smell of burning flesh and blood made Sasuke scrunch up his nose. The place he recognized as the old library already collapsed, as well as the old Academy. He glanced at the fallen buildings and the people trapped under them. An arm stuck out from the rubble, obviously detached from its owner.

He abruptly stopped, forcing Madara to turn back. "Disperse," he commanded. Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo all moved in different directions. "I told them to look for the elders," Sasuke explained to a puzzled Madara. Unsheathing his katana, he motioned for them to move on.

"So, how is it to be back in Konoha?" Madara asked. They ran past the old Uchiha Police Station.

Sasuke threw it a hateful glance but continued on. "Hn," he replied. Typical response. "I hate it more than ever." Underneath his mask, Madara could only smile.

Nothing seemed to be alive in the village. No chakra signatures, no sign of movement, no sign of life. It still smelled of corpse that was beginning to rot. The white marble building that was once the Academy now lay on the ground. In a way, Sasuke wished no one was in there. He shook his head. His goal was to find the elders and the Hokage as soon as possible, even Danzou was an enemy.

As they advanced to the center of the village, Sasuke and Madara sensed very few weak chakra signatures. One was evidently Pein, who, at that time, descended to find someone. There were five other relatively strong, yet nearly identical chakras too. Sasuke sensed a weakening one to his left and some he guessed that were being suppressed to hide themselves. However, he ignored them. They weren't his targets. But then, he realized, where was Naruto? His chakra should be flaring at this point, but nothing really stood out.

Then it dawned on him. Perhaps the Kyuubi container had died? No. Knowing Naruto, he wouldn't go down that quickly. That means he was away. Konoha was doomed without him, really. And Sasuke was not going to stop Pein or Madara from doing their damage.

He inwardly smirked. This will be easier than he thought.

A scream caught their attention. Sasuke recognized that voice- that and it had been screaming for Naruto. To his right, the accompanying Uchiha said, "I guess that's my hint."

"What?" Sasuke faced him. He saw his Sharingan fully activated and glaring.

"Time to find the Kyuubi. Let's go," Madara ordered.

However, Sasuke didn't move. He also had his Sharingan activated and his katana gripped tightly in his hands. "No, I am going to find the elders first. I don't care about your goals or anything concerning the Kyuubi."

Saying nothing, Madara suddenly appeared in front of the younger Uchiha and his hand swiftly reached out and grabbed him by his throat. Sasuke had no time to react as he was lifted off the floor, the katana was forced away from his hands and his chakra stopped its flow. "I suggest you listen to what I have to say," Madara's blood red eye stared back at him. "While I understand your hatred to this village, it is of upmost importance that we find the container first. After that, you can do whatever you want to Konoha, understood?" He abruptly dropped Sasuke to the ground who immediately grabbed his sword. "Your goals are my goals, I promise."

Ignoring Sasuke's grunt, Madara walked on until he reached what was once the hospital. The walls weren't completely obliterated, although he might as well have considered them to be. They slowly walked into the building, only to be greeted by piles of large debris.

A hint of pink caught Sasuke's eyes and he briskly walked towards his former teammate. All eyes turned to them, but Sakura was crying with her hands over her face. Slowly, but surely, she looked up and quickly flinched. Then, she gave him a hard glare. Her hair was messy and her arms and shirt had blood stains. Bags under her eyes showed him that she was tired and was definitely close to running out of chakra. What scared him, though, was the anger she showed.

Slowly, she stood up and walked towards Sasuke, each step getting closer to a run. As she got closer, her eyes practically glowed with anger at him. Her hair flew wildly around her oval face and her frown deepened. Eventually, Sakura held up her hand and slapped him. The sound didn't echo, but to them, it was the loudest noise. A stinging sensation made its way to his left cheek. She drew back her gloved hand.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she seethed. "I hope you're here on your own accord." She looked at Madara and then at their cloaks; she threw them a disgusted look. "What's _he_ doing here and why are you wearing that?"

"Sakura, where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked smoothly. If she were any other kunoichi, he would have easily killed her right there and then. But it was his realization that she wasn't the real target that stopped him from doing such actions. That or it was because of the fact that she had tried tears on her colored cheeks and reddened eyes that stopped him, not that he'd ever admit that out loud.

She visibly froze and looked away. "He's not here," she murmured. "I wouldn't tell you anyway," this time, she looked directly at his eyes. "You're with Akatsuki and I would never help any one of you guys."

Sasuke's lips were set in a straight line. Irritation was evident by his tensed facial muscles. "You know him?" He pointed to Madara, who stood absolutely quiet throughout the whole exchange.

Sakura looked at the person he was pointing to. "Tobi? Yes," she replied hesitantly.

"Where's Naruto?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "I believe I said that I wasn't going to say anything." He held the katana up to her throat until the cool metal was close enough to drawing blood. Sakura narrowed her eyes in response. "What are you doing?"

He didn't say anything at first, but then he remarked, "Your hands are shaking. You're scared."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but Madara, or as she knew it, Tobi, interrupted by grabbing a hold of Sasuke's katana and removing it from under her neck. "This isn't the time," he warned and sent a glare at the other Uchiha, who was about to put the katana back in its sheath.

The ground suddenly shook, throwing all of them to the ground and startling the observing patients and medics. The vibrations of the shock knocked down one of the once-standing pillars that held a remaining portion of the building and knocked Sasuke back. Taking this opportunity, Sakura grabbed onto Madara's robe and sent a chakra-powered kick to his face. As she did this, however, Sasuke grabbed her from behind; Madara recoiled and lightly touched the area she kicked. She fought Sasuke's grip, but then stopped as Madara's orange and black mask cracked and fell off his face. It flew a few feet away from them. She gasped at what she saw. The cheek that she kicked was red and a trail of blood fell from the corners of his lips.

She was then flung from Sasuke's grip and onto the ground, but not before she saw Madara's red eye and familiar Uchiha features. Dirt covered her gloved hands but Sakura quickly recovered, stood up, and tried to punch Sasuke, but he expertly caught her fist. Madara, who was unmasked at this point, grabbed her wrist and threw her into the nearby half-standing wall.

The impact, at first, stunned her and she grunted in pain, as she had hit her forehead. Sakura slowly fell to the floor and did not try to fight again. She looked at Madara, who was trying his hardest to hide his face with his robe. Sasuke was slowly walking over to her limp body.

"You're not like Kakashi, are you? You're an Uchiha," she muttered.

Sasuke looked down at her straight in the face and then bent down. "Sakura, where is Naruto?" he continued like nothing happened. Sakura looked away. He was about to grab her throat but commotion from another direction distracted him.

High levels of chakra disturbed his senses, and Madara sensed the same aura; all three heads turned to the same direction. Sakura's line of vision was beginning to blur from the impact. However, it didn't stop her from recognizing the chakra. Biting her bottom lip, she suddenly became worried about the patients' safety. She had to lead Madara and Sasuke away from the hospital. There was going to be a day that he would come back, but it was obvious today wouldn't be that day.

Luckily, the type of distraction she needed came in the form of a cloaked Akatsuki member with orange hair and number piercings. However, this one had long hair that flowed past his knees. He also wore an Akatsuki robe.

"I thought I sensed you," he spoke as he cautiously walked towards Madara, who gave a curt nod behind his collar. "That power- it's the Kyuubi."

And with that, he and Madara both disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Sasuke stood there, fists clenched and jaw stiffened. Sakura looked up at him through thick lashes and she slightly flinched when the bruise on her cheek stung. She looked at the petrified patients who clung on their beds tightly and the assistant medics who threw her sentimental glances.

"Sakura," he said. She looked up at him and his fixed eyes. "Where is the Hokage?"

Sakura deepened her frown. "Why does it matter where she is?"

"Tell me. Tell me where she is, along with the elders," he demanded. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Tell me now, Sakura!"

"Sasuke!" she screamed and stopped him. Desperation shined through her eyes. "I don't know where she is, I really don't. I don't know what you plan to do, but it's not worth it. Come back to Konoha, please, Sasuke."

He looked at her in confusion for a moment but his expression then hardened. "You really don't know how corrupt this village is, do you? You have been living this naïve life, thinking that Konoha and the Hokage will protect you. What has it done so far? Nothing. You don't know anything that truly goes on," he spat out the last part bitterly.

"I don't know what you've been told, Sasuke, but it's a lie," she looked away. "We all care more than you think." This time, her eyes bore into his. "If I don't know anything that goes on, then tell me. I ask you- no, _beg_ you to tell me. I'm not the only one. Naruto will be there too; just come back, please."

Sasuke's face contorted with a mix of anger and slight confusion. "It's so typical of you, Sakura." He backed away until they were more than a few feet apart. Giving her a last look of disappointment and contempt, he disappeared. Sakura sat looking at the spot he was previously standing and choked back a sob. There was no way in hell she was going to sit around _again_. No, she had to do something this time. She held up her hand and looked at her worn out leather glove. It was time to properly use it.

* * *

Falling heavily on the nearest boulder, Sasuke felt his chest rise and fall as his breathing became more labored. Karin sat next to him and threw him a worried look. "Juugo and Suigetsu didn't find them yet. They're looking everywhere. If only I knew their chakra pattern, then I could easily have found them." Sasuke didn't reply but stared at the sky and tried controlling the flurry of emotions and thoughts that haunted his mind.

"Say, Sasuke-kun, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" he snarled and fell back onto the rock, breathing heavily.

"I-" Karin started, but then her senses perked up. "I found the Hokage." All Sasuke did was nod and followed his teammate through the winding destruction that was Konoha.

Tsunade stood facing Pein, who was surprised at Karin and Sasuke for wearing Akatsuki robes. However, he paid no attention to them and continued, "You remember who I am?"

The Hokage glared at the offending cloaks. "How can I forget?"

Still remaining expressionless, Pein leaned forward and got into a fighting stance. "This will be easier, then." In a speed that Sasuke hardly registered, Pein appeared behind the Hokage, who did not move a muscle. A bloodied hand reached out around her neck and all Tsunade did was close her eyes. "You accept death," he stated plainly.

Just as he was about to break her neck, Sasuke's hand reached out and gripped Pein's in an unrelenting hold. "She will be my victim," Sasuke snarled. Rinnegan and Sharingan clashed.

After a moment, Pein spoke, "There are five more. I don't think it'd be wise." And with that, he surprised Sasuke with a kick to the stomach and then a quick punch to the face.

"Sasuke!" screamed Karin. Tsunade's eyes widened at the scene but did not say anything. The ANBU behind her were about to move but she stopped them.

"He is a traitor, remember that," she then looked away and ignored Karin's pleas to help him.

Sasuke was about to strike back and activate his Sharingan, but then his body stopped moving. His muscles tensed and a painful sensation shot through his limbs. His chakra no longer flowed, and he could feel slight pinches throughout his body.

Pein charged at him and sent another kick to his stomach. The Uchiha sent an inaudible noise through his gritted teeth. His Sharingan automatically activated. Pein lifted him by the collar and glared into his eyes. "Do you see the pain?" He was about to crack his skull when he sensed an on-coming threat from behind him. He turned around to see the red-haired kunoichi running at him with a kunai and a face fit with rage.

"Let Sasuke go! Put him down!" She ran at him and aimed, but he stopped her with his bare hands and sent her flying. Her Akatsuki robe ripped and she fell to the ground. "God damn it, where the fuck is Suigetsu?" she groaned. Her rib was evidently broken and a hand instinctively went to the area. Karin's eyelids suddenly felt heavy. Her world then became black.

The feeling in Sasuke's hand slowly came back. Then, he could gradually move his arms, then torso, and then his legs. Taking his opportunity, he sent his chakra through his katana and prepared to slash at Pein, who was in front of him. However, his limbs stiffened again and he couldn't even widen his eyes to show his surprise and frustration. Pein turned to look at him. "Goodbye, Uchiha," he murmured.

Pein clapped his hands together and a gust of concentrated wind flew at Sasuke. He couldn't move out of the way. He was going to die, he realized. Was this the end? He couldn't avenge his brother or see the destruction of Konohagakure. He looked again at Pein, who had an expression that showed his determination to kill him.

Sasuke looked at the Hokage. She looked away and stopped the other ANBU members from intervening. He looked at Karin, who hoped that the other members of Team Hawk would arrive.

He took another glance around the battlefield, even though his field of vision was very limited. "Sasuke!" Was that Karin again? No, she was still on the ground and had no energy to say anything. He looked frantically around the area. And then he saw her. Sakura.

She was running at him, despite her bruised face and broken leg joints. He saw the horror that flickered on her face and her mouth that formed his name. "Sasuke! Sasuke! No!" Tsunade's attention immediately focused on her apprentice and two ANBU guards grabbed hold of Sakura and held her back. "Let me go! No! Not Sasuke!"

Sasuke couldn't close his eyes. They bled and the familiar six-sided star made its way to where his original Sharingan would be. He felt the pressure on his left eye and saw the incredulous looks everyone else gave.

Just as Pein's Wind Release hit Sasuke, the Amaterasu flames engulfed Pein. Sasuke was thrown back a few feet and landed on his back.

"Holy shit," one of the ANBU guards muttered, as they witnessed the orange haired Akatsuki member fall to his knees and get burned by the black flames.

Sakura licked her chapped lips and walked towards Sasuke. She bent down next to him and began to heal him. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she looked down at the Uchiha. The front of his robe was torn and his hair was messily spread on the ground. He didn't have a smile on his face- something she found almost suitable for a situation like this.

She sent chakra throughout his body and wearily tried to wake him up just so he can scoff and call her annoying. She did it to see not only the boy she loved as a child, but also the boy Naruto considered to be a brother. Tsunade walked up behind her and crouched down.

"Sakura," she said. "It won't work."

Despite the fruitless attempt, Sakura didn't pay attention to her shishou's words. Tsunade pulled her apprentice into a hug and pulled her away from Sasuke's body.

"Shishou, why?" Sakura cried into her shoulder. "He really didn't d-deserve it. And Naruto…" she continued to sob.

The older woman began patting the top of her head. "Sakura, please, get up. We need to get somewhere safer. We can discuss this, okay? And I called for Naruto. He was already here," she whispered. Sakura nodded.

She pulled away and gave Tsunade a hard look. "We're bringing Sasuke's body with us." The Hokage had no choice but to agree.

* * *

Sakura sat a few feet from Sasuke's body, which was lying on an old hospital bed. She was with a few survivors, the Hokage, some ANBU guards, and Shizune in one of the safety hideouts. It was dimly lit by various candles on the ceiling and the damp environment made her wary of infections. She continued staring at his lifeless corpse. It seemed surreal- or, as she felt, more like a nightmare.

Shizune sat down next to her mentor and carefully opened a scroll by the candlelight. "Tsunade-sama," she whispered. "Naruto has just defeated one of the other Peins." She visibly gulped. "He's looking for the actual leader now. Nagato."

The Hokage was healing a victim with a fractured leg and did not stop healing to respond, "Nagato. It has been a while since I've heard about him."

"Should we do anything, shishou?"

Her eyes concentrated on fixing the ligaments and the bone, she replied back, "I trust Naruto. I trust what he's about to do."

Shizune could only nod. It began raining outside, the tiny droplets of water hitting the hideout's roof in a rhythmic pattern. Sakura looked up at the dark ceiling.

"Where's Kakashi?" she asked. Shizune gave her a concerned look and walked over to her.

She embraced the confused looking pink haired medic-nin and said, "He's gone too."

At this, Sakura began to cry again. She bit her bottom lip, untangled herself from Shizune's arms, walked up to Sasuke's body and held his hands. Each tear rolled off of her cheek and onto the back of his hand. She felt the calloused hand in her own and memorized the way it felt. A quivering hand moved to his hair and she felt the slightly oily, dark hair between her fingers. She moved his hair away from his face. "We have to get his body too." Tsunade turned to her after healing another patient. "We will have a proper burial… for the both of them. Team Seven," she breathed out the last part.

Tsunade and Shizune nodded and looked at each other, concerned.

Two hours later, Sakura was lying on a blanket that was stretched out for her. Tsunade was patching up the last patient and gave a sigh of relief. Looking at her apprentice asleep with scrunched eyebrows worried her.

A clamor behind her drew her attention. In walked Naruto with an arm slung around Shizune's shoulder for support. He threw her a small smile and sat down on a sofa across from Sakura's. He looked at her sleeping form and looked back at Tsunade. "How is she?" he asked.

"Physically, she's fine, but mentally, she's weak," she sighed. "You know Sasuke… was here?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I heard from Nagato. Where is he anyway?" He looked around the hideout but did not see Sasuke.

Shizune silently led him to the body of the lone Uchiha. Naruto immediately knew what happened, as he turned away and sniffed. "That bastard… how did he…?"

Tsunade stayed quiet for a moment. "You should ask Sakura when she wakes up. She saw it herself."

"But who…?"

"It was one of Nagato's puppets- Pein."

"Oh…" he trailed off and looked back at Sasuke. The corners of his lips could not form a smile at the sight. It was worse than what he had anticipated. He turned away to shield his lone tear.

The Hokage put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Are you able to tell me what happened?"

Naruto nodded. His whiskered cheeks were laced with dried tears. He tried his best to force a smile. "I've done it. There will be peace." He sat down next to the sleeping Sakura and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think now, Nagato truly sees the world and understands the concept of peace. I don't know exactly, but I think he will go into hiding. He wants redemption. The other forms of Pein are gone too. I understand his pain and I'm sure he understands mine too. Mine and Jiraiya's. Akatsuki… is done for, I'm sure of it."

The two women in the room smiled. Tsunade bowed her head and Naruto moved back in alarm. "I owe you. You are a true diplomat- no, a true leader. The role of Hokage is fitting for you."

He laughed nervously. "Maybe not now." He looked at Sakura. "Soon, one day, definitely! But I want to make sure no harm ever comes to Team Seven again. Oh yeah, where's Sai, Yamato, and Kakashi anyway?"

"Sai and Yamato are with Sasuke's travel companions. They are being detained at the moment. And Kakashi… it's something to ask Sakura too."

"Is he hurt?"

Tsunade's eyes became glassy. "Ask Sakura," she said simply and walked out of the hideout.

* * *

Naruto helped Sakura up against the bed's headboard. They were now in the old hospital and the roofless building brought back bad memories for her. She winded her arms around his neck and silently sobbed. "I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I would've done if you weren't," she said.

He patted her back to calm her down. "It's okay. Everything's okay."

"No," she cried. "It isn't. Sasuke and Kakashi … they…" She couldn't continue. Sakura looked up at him. "And I hear Hinata is critically wounded. How is she?"

He slowly let go and looked at everything except for his teammate. "She's doing better. Shizune is doing a good job healing. She… Hinata, I mean… told me that she loved me."

Sakura let out a smile and lightly punched him. "You're the only who didn't notice."

Naruto sadly smiled too. He handed her a piece of apple and continued, "Sakura… do you think you can tell me about what happened to Sasuke?"

She slowly accepted and bit the apple. She eventually nodded and leaned against her back. "He came back to this very hospital. He was looking for you." His eyes darkened and grew apologetic. "From what I saw, he was fighting the orange haired Akatsuki member. Pein, I think? He was the one that … finished Sasuke." Sakura clung onto her bed sheets tightly. "But something happened with his Sharingan and black flames killed Pein. He never had that ability before." She broke down crying again and held onto Naruto's arm. "I'm a shinobi. I'm not supposed to feel remorse over a teammate's death. So why am I crying? It's because Sasuke … and Kakashi… they weren't teammates- they were family."

At this, she looked up at him. "You're family. I can't lose you too."

"I know," he reassured. "I completely understand."

He told her the whole story of his training as a Sage and meeting Nagato, something with which she was surprised at. "And then, all I can guess is that Akatsuki disbanded." Sakura sighed in relief.

"Thank God. Wait… Naruto, I completely forgot!"

Startled by her outburst, he asked, "What did you forget?"

"There was this Akatsuki member who came with Sasuke. He disappeared when I was with Sasuke. Remember? Tobi, the one with the orange mask!"

"Yeah, what about him?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm pretty sure that I'm right, but he had the Sharingan." Naruto flinched in surprise. "I managed to knock the mask off of his face and I saw the red pupil. It … was definitely the Sharingan."

Naruto tucked the hot water pad underneath he blankets and onto her leg, which was swollen. "That's odd… do you think there's another Uchiha out there?"

Sakura thanked him for his help and brushed her hair out of her face. She swallowed her medication and answered, "It certainly is a possibility." She grimaced at the bitter taste. "Anyway, it's a time for reconstruction. Once I'm out of this hospital bed, we'll rebuild Konoha from the ground up."

"Yeah, you're right. We can only look to the future. It's what everyone would have wanted. Jiraiya, Kakashi, and I think, even Sasuke-teme."

* * *

A lone figure collapsed against the trunk of a withered oak tree approximately fourteen miles from the outskirts of Konoha. He threw the broken mask away in a fit of anger. All of his plans were ruined by the Kyuubi container. How he had rapidly acquired new skills was beyond Madara's most vivid imagination.

Now, he was back to the beginning. Kisame was no where to be found and even Zetsu, someone he considered to be a trustworthy minion, was missing. Nagato and Konan, those fools, had a change of heart. Sasuke, who he let out of his sights, was supposedly gone too, as Madara could no longer identify his chakra signature. It was turning out to be more frustrating than he had originally thought. Where were all of the Tailed Beasts now? Evidently, he could not recover his Mangekyou to its original strength anymore. He crushed his old mask underneath his foot and looked up at the gray skies.

He walked over to the crystal clear lake and looked at his own reflection. One eye was closed due to an old injury and his Sharingan eye stared back at him. His unruly short, black hair was oily and probably had an unpleasant smell. However, he didn't look his age. There were slight wrinkles under his injured eye, but other than that, he still had the face of a thirty-some year old. He tossed his Akatsuki robe to the side and burned it with an elementary fire skill.

A new thought stopped him in his tracks. He was the only Uchiha left. In a way, it depressed him. Only decades ago, the Uchiha clan was both feared and revered… and now, it was only a part of history that would eventually be forgotten. But then again, this was the result of the clan betraying him.

His mind was filled with contradicting thoughts; he was an Uchiha, yet he felt hatred towards them. Dejected, confused, and wary of his position on the social hierarchy, Madara walked away. He walked down the dirt path with broken sandals. He walked down the dirt path with no cloak. He was now his own person. Madara was not an Uchiha and he was no longer a part of Akatsuki. He was Madara- and only Madara.

With that thought in mind, it was time for a new dawn.

* * *

**A/N:** I must be crazy. Madara/Sakura?? I don't know- I mean, I was so attracted to this idea, I had to do it. It's my first story for this pairing and I hope to complete it, unlike my past stories *cough*. This was the first chapter and it was about 6000 words. Do not expect future chapters to be this long. In fact, it'll probably be half this size!

Reviews are always appreciated- I need to know how I can improve and your input! Thanks for reading :)


	2. Reconstruction

Tsunade walked into the hospital room, sat down with a struggling face, and then slowly smiled. "Kakashi, he's back, along with many other people," she announced to her pupil.

Sakura's eyes widened but then grinned. "How?" She turned to Naruto, who sat with a smile from ear to ear. "What aren't you telling me, Naruto?"

"I didn't think it'd happen so quickly! Well, let's just say the pain is over."

* * *

Sakura tugged uncomfortably at her knee-length satin attire, which was of an obsidian color. Everyone around her had on the same color and it was for this occasion- the funeral. It was a funeral for those who weren't revived, those who lost limbs and did not regain consciousness. It was also, in part, an overdue funeral for Jiraiya, who contributed so much to Naruto's growth. For Team Seven, it was a funeral for Sasuke.

She looked around and stopped at a particular figure. Gaara, not in his usual Kazekage uniform, sat cross legged in the front of the crowd. He was surrounded by Temari and Kankuro, who both had serious faces on.

Ibiki had a grim expression on his face as he looked at his "prisoners", as he called them. Once Sasuke's teammates, Juugo, Suigetsu, and Karin sat in the back row. Each was constrained by chakra-infused handcuffs. Juugo looked as calm as ever and seemed to be meditating, while Suigetsu and Karin were making immature faces at each other. Upon seeing Hyuuga Neji help Hinata into the chair next to Naruto, Karin immediately turned her attention to him.

"Ooh who's he?" she gushed without shame.

"Gah, as if he'd notice you!" Suigetsu blurted back.

They continued bickering back and forth to the point that many of the guests gave them wary looks. Ibiki stood between the two of them. "Quiet, or it's the electrocution torture again," he scolded with the same stern face. The two quickly stopped talking and held grim expressions.

The entire area was filled with the remaining Konoha ninjas. They were all situated next to the training grounds that Sakura recognized to be the first she trained on.

Tsunade, not in her typical Hokage attire but rather in a dark navy colored robe, stood at the front of the podium and the requiem began. Behind her were dark caskets decorated with laced covering. Each of them was lined up in a row and reminded everyone why they were there. She went on about each and every one of the victims, but Naruto and Sakura looked away when Tsunade did not mention Sasuke.

Of course not. He may not have been a traitor to them, but he certainly was in the minds of the others.

A ghost of a smile made its way to Sakura's face. She could vaguely remember those good times.

Falling onto her bed with a deep sigh, Sakura rubbed her eyes. The funeral was over and Naruto and Hinata had walked her, with a brooding Hyuuga Neji in tow, to the new apartment district that was built. She looked around her new room and couldn't help but feel lonely. The white walls glared back at her and she shrank under her covers. Flipping on the light of her nightstand lamp, Sakura looked at the old Team Seven photo. Her fingers traced the 12-year-old Sasuke's jaw and then Kakashi's pointed hair.

Those were things she would never see again. Setting the photo down, she changed into her usual shirt. She tugged on her pants and frowned at the fact that she had gained a little weight.

Then again, Sakura hasn't had any physical training for a while. She was stuck in the hospital healing injuries and looking after patients.

She walked over to her closet and pushed back a wall to reveal a small compartment. Reaching in it, Sakura eagerly took out a small sepia colored notebook. It was from the village archives that contained information not shown to common civilians or many high ranking ninjas, for that matter. From what she understood, it was only for the eyes of the elders and the Hokage. It took her hours to learn how to destroy the bindings around the book; she was also lucky to have found it lying around at the obliterated Hokage tower when she was sent to do clean-up there.

Flipping through the pages, she saw that it was written in a cursive, just barely legible handwriting. Each word was written exactly on the line and possibly the neatest she has ever seen.

Lying on her stomach, Sakura fell onto the bed again and began reading. She knew the subject of this book and that's why she took it without hesitation.

The first couple of pages detailed the life of the first Hokage. It elaborated on the Senju clan and its formation. This was basic information that every shinobi learned in the Ninja Academy so she quickly skimmed through it. She turned a few more pages and stopped at a page where the writing seemed messier. The writer of the notebook finally talked about the Uchiha clan, and Sakura's heart flipped at the thought of Sasuke. This is what she was looking for.

As she read each word, each sentence, her eyebrows furrowed. She brushed her hair back with her fingers and her expression showed her confusion and distraught at the information she was reading. '_The assassination of the Uchiha clan by the prodigal…_' her eyes scanned the words multiple times.

Sakura stood up, began pacing, and continued to read it meticulously. This was what he was talking about. It made sense, in a twisted way, but nonetheless, it showed why Sasuke was so dedicated to destroy Konoha.

But who had told him? There's a slim chance Itachi told him, as this was something he tried so hard to keep away from his little brother.

She sat down on a nearby stool and set the book on her lap. Other than Sasuke, there were no survivors of the massacre. She opened the book to where she left off. One name stood out on the page: Uchiha Madara. He was the founder of the Uchiha clan and was the one in charge when the Senju and Uchiha signed a peace treaty. He should be dead right now. Sakura looked out of her bedroom window and sighed.

Movement outside of her window caught her attention. Underneath, Tsunade was walking with a wheelchair-bound Kakashi, and Shizune was slowly trailing behind them. They were deep in conversation, and from what Sakura could tell, it was important.

They stopped at her apartment and she soon heard the doorbell ring. She skipped downstairs and tried to look surprised at their visit.

"Kakashi! I hope you're feeling better," she began pushing his wheelchair into the tiny living room.

"Yes, much better in fact," he smiled.

Tsunade and Shizune sat themselves down on the worn leather sofas while Sakura prepared some tea. "I didn't see you at the funeral today," she yelled out from the kitchen.

The gray haired shinobi shifted in his chair and gladly took the cup she was offering when she appeared from the other room. "The hospital's Head nurse made sure I recovered first," he directed an implied smile at Tsunade, who also gladly took a cup of tea.

"Sakura, I'm here to tell you something," she said almost gravely. Sakura sat down and thought the worst. Her mentor looked up. The ends of her rose colored lips slowly pointed up. "You're being promoted to a Jounin."

Sakura gasped, practically choked on her drink, and bowed multiple times. She hugged her, Shizune, and then Kakashi, who grunted in pain as she hurt his back a little. "Really? Jounin?" she tried calming down. "What- what made you decide to promote me?"

The Hokage stood up and gave a pointed smile. "It was actually Shizune's idea," at this, Shizune gave Sakura a thumbs up. "She talked endlessly about how you healed every patient even though you were low on chakra. It's a very admirable quality, Sakura." Tsunade took the parcel from Shizune's hand and gave it to her apprentice. "It's yours. Congratulations."

Taking a bow again, Sakura beamed with joy, "Thank you, Shishou."

"Hinata, Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino were also promoted," Kakashi brought up. "They all demonstrated exceptionally satisfactory skills; I saw Choji's for myself."

"I'm glad," she breathed. "How about Naruto?"

"I'm surprised he hasn't told you yet," Tsunade murmured. "I gave him a special promotion."

Sakura looked at her expectantly. "What was it?"

* * *

Naruto tackled his pink haired teammate and then began cheering. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you but I was too excited!" Hinata chuckled behind them and took a seat at the meeting room. While Naruto explained his new role in Konoha, Hinata took a sip of the orange juice in front of her.

She felt someone sitting on the couch next to her. Kiba, who had his arm in a cast, threw her a relieved look. "I haven't seen you at all. Team Eight seriously isn't the same when we're all monitoring separate posts."

Hinata nodded. "I agree."

Kiba looked at her again. "And you've been promoted. Shino and I are still chuunin. What's going to happen?"

She gave him a fearful look and then a sad one. "Don't say that. I know you two will be promoted in due time," she said, optimistically.

He let out a tired sigh but nodded as if he hoped her words would be true. He muttered a haste good bye and then left the suddenly cramped room. Hinata's white eyes trailed his retreating form until she couldn't see him anymore. Naruto suddenly stood up on a table with his fist in the air. Sakura was trying to prevent him from making a commotion but he was evidently enjoying himself.

Applause broke out in the hall and Hinata slowly began clapping along. "It's still time to rebuild! It's time to work each and every shinobi to their bones!"

"You're not even the Hokage yet!" Genma shouted from one corner of the room. He had a senbon needle situated between his teeth and was happily grinning.

Naruto looked at him and retorted, "Four years will go by quickly." The people in the room applauded once again.

* * *

Sakura was at the most important event in Konoha of the year. She looked at Naruto, who donned the white and crimson Hokage robe and hat. He was overlooking a crowd of people and was concentrating on containing his excitement. He turned and met Sakura's comforting eyes and he gave an acknowledging nod. She was relieved as Tsunade moved over a seat and allowed him to sit at the official Hokage chair.

Gaara was in the crowd too and looked pleased that someone he considered a friend finally achieved the position he desired. He uncrossed his arms and clapped along with the audience.

Today was the coronation of Naruto; it was an agreement by Tsunade who promised him the position once he turned the age of eighteen. It was something he truly deserved. Konoha could not have a more promising leader. Sakura smiled and tucked her hands in her lap and sat quietly as Naruto gave a speech on the meaning of being a shinobi. He then moved on to the importance of perseverance; he talked about his past and how he dealt with his aspirations. At that moment, Sakura felt extremely proud of her ex-teammate.

Naruto, accompanied by Hinata, Sakura, and Kakashi, went to the memorial that was dedicated to those who were M.I.A. or killed. Team Seven paid their respects, all the while thinking of Sasuke and how without him, their team wasn't complete. Hinata simply looked on with sympathy.

They all sat down on a bench near a park across from the new Academy. It was built from the help of Suna, and was made from the finest materials. Sakura's hand glided on the surface of the wooden bench and she was giddy it was still there. This was the same bench that Naruto impersonated Sasuke and tried to kiss her. Feeling silly from her past actions, she covered her mouth with the palm of her hand to conceal her upturned mouth. Naruto took one glance at her and he knew. "This was that bench, huh?" he asked. The nostalgia was back. Sakura nodded in response.

He looked at Kakashi, who didn't have to ask to know it was a memory about Sasuke. "So, Kakashi-sensei," he began. "Of all of the eligible shinobi, including you, why did Tsunade choose me?"

The Copy-Nin put his hand under his chin and put on an authentic thinking face. "Well, I'm already crippled," he answered.

"Kakashi-sensei, you're hardly forty! Also, Tsunade was well in her fifties," Sakura added.

Her teacher shook his head. "I'm not suited for the job." He then gave his ex-pupils a look of dread. "Plus, Hokages have to do a lot of paper work."

The thought finally dawned on Naruto and he loudly groaned. "Oh don't remind me."

* * *

The heavy burden that was put on Sakura was slowly fading. The last time she read the book that she found at the Hokage's Tower was well over four months ago. Guilt plagued through her at first, and she found herself obsessing over the book and its contents. Looking at Tsunade in those days made her stomach twist in infinite knots. But she knew it wasn't her to blame.

Sometimes Tsunade would give her a curious look, and Sakura was almost scared that she would know. However, her Shishou never spoke a word of the missing book.

When Sakura was cleaning out her closet to find her old carrying pack, she stumbled upon it again, lying in the corner. It was stuffed under a few pillows, and she remembered why. When she was rereading it for the tenth time, Ino had appeared outside her window, startling her crouched form over the notebook.

She spent hours in the archives looking for the name that stood out to her years ago: Uchiha Madara. From the unrestricted archives, she found that he was the one who fought the First Hokage at the Valley of the End, something that many knew. Unfortunately, that was all she could find. Her mind drifted back to the day of the invasion and the daunting expressions that Sasuke wore. Nothing else made her feel more helpless. Then, there was the man with the Sharingan. Tobi. That was supposed to be his name- but then again, what did Konoha know about Tobi? She wondered if Madara knew about Tobi's existence. Supposedly, Madara is the only Uchiha alive, but she was positive that she saw the ex-Akatsuki member with the same blood-red eyes.

Sakura then remembered that she was supposed to be packing. Yes, it was her first out-of-town mission in a long time and she was beyond excited. Luckily for her, it was also a solo mission. Tiptoeing, she reached for her headband that was situated on the top shelf. It wasn't a long mission, so she packed sparingly, in hopes of completing it quickly.

Once it was nighttime, she said goodbyes to Naruto, who sat at the Hokage's seat with Tsunade beside him. Kakashi was out on his own doing who knows what, and Sakura regretted that she didn't bother looking for him that night.

She easily cleared the checkpoints and let out her breath once she left the village borders. There was a faint natural scent that was pleasant, compared to the smoky odors of roadside restaurants and dreadful portable lavatories.

She set up camp as soon as she noticed that it was midnight. The entire journey was supposed to take six days, but because she was a lone traveler, she hoped to make it to Mist in five days. On the first night, Sakura found it extremely difficult to sleep. She wasn't sure if it was because she wasn't accompanied by Team Seven, or if it's because that it was uncomfortable knowing that she won't be at Naruto's side when he began his first act as Hokage.

Arriving at Mist's gates within her projected time, she was bothered by the humid atmosphere. She brushed her fingers through her frizzy hair and mentally complained, as she was led to the village center by two guards. When Sakura found out about the mission, she knew she had to be cautious. Mist and Konoha weren't allies. In fact, the only reason they asked for Konoha's help was because their leader was possibly terminally ill. They pleaded to Tsunade and offered a high price for their leader's treatment. Tsunade would have ignored this, but seeing that Mist kept out of Leaf's way after the invasion made her less worried.

What could they do to harm Konoha through one medic-nin anyway? Naruto insisted that Sakura bring a group, but she was afraid that many Leaf shinobi would be more chaotic. After days of discussion, she managed to talk out of going with a group. She was already 18 and well enough to handle affairs by herself, she constantly, internally seethed.

The Mizukage's mansion was in the central area. It was amazingly large, to Sakura's surprise. She was quietly through the winding labyrinth that was the inner mansion and entered through the double doors that the ill Mizukage resided in. She walked to the bedside and recognized the pale faced leader. It was obvious that he was in pain, as sweat covered his body and a contorted expression was present, even as he slept. Sakura uncovered his body and unbuttoned his heavy robes.

"Get me some damp rags," she ordered to the guards. They nodded and left the room. Meanwhile, she began to find the cause of his condition. Sakura could easily tell he was heavily fatigued and it was mostly due to stress. This would have invited all kinds of sickness. She silently cursed the fact that Mist was so ardent on having combat shinobi rather than supporting ones. One burly guard came back into the room with her request and she quickly began cleaning the sweat away on the patient. "Open up a few windows, please," she asked, noting that the room was incredibly dim.

The guard quietly complied. Sakura flinched at the sudden sunlight but continued to channel her chakra through the Mizukage. She began building up his immune system to prevent any further sickness.

It took a good half an hour for her to finish, checking to make sure he could endure even a simple cold. Standing up and facing the soundless guard, she jotted down some medicinal herbs on her usual diagnostic sheet. She handed it to him, and he gave the paper a quick glance and a curt nod but said nothing else.

"Um… just make sure he takes his medicine once every morning, preferably before eating breakfast. He should be better in a week," she informed, awkwardly aware of the almost suspicious man. Looking around the room, she added, "And make sure there's lots of sunlight. It's good for a sick patient."

The guard bowed. "You may leave then, Haruno Sakura."

Startled by his voice, she jumped. "Oh, okay," she muttered and followed him out of the compound.

Feeling tired from both the journey and helping the Mizukage, Sakura signed in at the local motel. It was definitely too dangerous to travel at night and she felt disoriented. The unpleasant chalky smell of the room didn't help her feel any better. She hid all of her belongings under her bed and did not bother to change out her shirt; with that, she collapsed on the bed, hoping for a long sleep.

However, that would be impossible. It was past midnight when Sakura felt a pair of strong chakra outside her window. She didn't make it obvious that she knew, of course. She stilled when the window slowly cracked open and she heard one of them slowly creeping into the room, which was illuminated only by the table lamp in the corner. Footsteps echoed on the wooden floor but stopped once the person reached the bed. She instinctively knew the man was reaching for her- not exactly willing to die in Mist, Sakura jumped up and sent a punch at the man.

Not leaving time for the other person outside to react, she rushed past them and out the window. She recognized them as the two guards who accompanied her to the Mizukage. Completely alert now, Sakura looked back and saw the guard that she punched was heavily bleeding. His accomplice ignored his teammate, saw Sakura, and immediately chased after her. They were both after her and she had no idea why.

The two of them jumped on the roofs with little effort, waking up the citizens below. Sakura was getting tired again, and it must be because she used too much chakra punching the man, who now had a _very_ serious injury.

She wasn't exactly thinking when she leapt off of one of the roofs, and she slipped. Cursing to herself as she sprained her ankle, Sakura fell on her knees. Her eyes widened when she realized one of her pursuers was much closer than anticipated. She tried to crawl away but her leg twisted and she cried out in pain.

The guard unsheathed his katana and was about to slash her. Sakura looked away and screamed, but the katana never hit her. Instead, she heard a gurgling sound. She turned around and saw another man who had his back to her and had long, black hair. She saw her pursuer fall to the ground, with a large sword protruding from his throat and he was spitting up blood from his throat. Covering her mouth in disgust, she looked up at her savior.

His battered clothes hung loosely on his thin form and his hair was flowing freely in the wind. Not exactly willing to abandon his weapon, he bent down and pulled out his sword from the man's throat, much to Sakura's horror. Satisfied with his job, he turned around to face the kunoichi.

Sakura saw a distinctly familiar red eye, let out a squeak that could have passed as a gasp, and fell back as she fainted.

* * *

**Notes: **I promised to update earlier, but the recent changes in the manga really made me change my story. From now on, it'll be independent from the manga. Thanks so much for the reviews, everyone! It means so much, even if you say something like "Update or else" :)

Next Update: June 28, 2009


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